Lock Review - ERA Fortress

 Today your local Manchester based locksmith will be talking about the ERA Fortress 3 Star Diamond Graded Euro Cylinder from ERA. I'll be looking at the various features, putting them to the test and rating it out of 10 for security.

The Looks

This lock certainly looks the part. Good solid construction and a clear indication of its strongest features. The clearly reinforced center of the lock, reassures you the customer that snapping is impossible. But what about how it looks in the door? How do we communicate to prospective burglars that this lock is not for messing with? Well, like most locks that are TS007 3* compliant they all feature a kite mark on the front, just below the key way. This is a heart comprised of a B and an S (British Standard) with a star rating above. This serves as a clear message to (experienced) thieves that you will not be able to bypass this lock.

Security Features

This lock boasts a number of high security features designed to keep burglars at bay. The first of which are the 6 hardened pins which, together with the 6 trap pins make this one of the toughest locks to drill, pick or bump. I have seen this lock picked in the past by lock picking enthusiasts on Youtube, crucially however the lock was not fitted to a door, nor was it the middle of the night and there was no time pressure. Unless you're a very experienced picker, bypassing the door in this way, is not going to be possible.

Next up we have all of the locks anti-snapping features. Namely the reinforced center piece and the sacrificial end pieces. If our burglar attempts to snap the lock the sacrificial end piece will break away leaving a dead end. However if there is still enough lock there to grab hold of the rest of the lock body will break away leaving behind the reinforced center, bringing their attempted break in to a halt. And finally, when attacked by any use of force a single security pin will be fired into the core preventing the central cam from turning and unlocking the door. So even if our burglar makes a real mess of the lock and finds his way to the center the lock will not turn.

Everyday Use and Practicality

In this section I'd like to talk about how the lock feels and operates once fitted to your door. I've found the ERA for the most part to be smooth and easy to use whilst still feeling solid. I have on one or two occasions experienced a fault out of the box but of the many hundreds I've fitted this is perfectly within the normal range for any lock brand. Each lock is supplied with 3 keys and I've had very little difficulty in finding places that will cut them.

Overall Score

I'm going to give the ERA Fortress Euro Cylinder an 8/10. A good solid choice for any security conscious home owner.

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